The Republican journal., 1887-08-04
Letter from Boston.

SOME STATISTICS OF THE POULTRY AND EGG
BUSINESS.
Boston, August /, 1887. That ''bcauty is
but skin deep is true as regards the egg.
Many have preference for the dark shelled
varieties, but like the historic pudding, the
proof is to be found in the eating. And what
is better than ii fresh-laid egg! No other fresh
laid egg can surpass it, surely. As Our George
has remarked, quality, which goes with all
other kinds of food, seems not to reside in the
latest production of the hen.
Few people realize what an important in
,lustry the poultry and egg business has be.
come Statistics of this branch of agriculture
were first collected in connection with the CEN
sus of 1850. The egg product of 1879 was re-
ported at 456,9l0,9l6 dozens for the entire
country. Valued at twelve cents dozen, GER
tainly a very moderate rate. this places the am
nual value of the crop at nearly fifty-five mil
lion dollars But it is probable that the census
officers failed to get full reports in all cases.
For example, Waldo county is credited with
product of 100000 dozens by the census, while
canvass we had occasion to make in 1883
showed the counry's export that year to be
million dozens. As the census has it, this
value is ten million dollars greater than the
value of the country's tobacco crop, and some
thing in excess of the annual corn export. And
this aggregate represents by far the greatest
number of individual producers. AS the Lon
don Graphic states: '.There are not, either in
this country or any other country, not even in
America, SO far as is known to the writer, any
gigantic poultry FARMS
Few articles of domestic use show greater
fluctuations in price. During last winter the
highest quotations were OH January Sth, when
IS cents bid, and 30 cents offered, were the
market figures in Boston. Soon after some
siildcn drops took place In the spring good
lots sold lis low as eleven cents. The market
is now reported to be dull, with cape and
''ncar by at Is to 10, eastern extra, II IL to
Is, down to II cents for western. Lent used
to I've depended on to break the fall of prices,
but Providence kindly increases the supply, to
the profit of the faithful.
1t is strange that an effort is not made to give
protection to the American hen. Such policy
would appeal to the rural districts" During
markets. Il considerable number is brought
from Europe. From May to November, also,
large shipments reach Boston from the mari
time provinces.
Receipts in this city have been unusually
large this year. Last week 100 boxes, I13 bar
rcI>. and II so. cases were reported at the
Chamber of Commerce, against II boxes, 149
u,
last year. Boston is eating more eggs than Il
year ago.
\ great advance has been made during ten or
fifteen years in the method of shipping.
Country dealers then packed their eggs in bar
rcl> andboXes, using liberal quantities of straw.
As they expected a large number were broken
in transit. The introduction of the patent egg
case, however, put an end to that loss. Each
egg rides in its own pastcboard apartment. safe
from harm. Indiana shippers still have a
fon'incss for packing in barrels.
Besides the great number of eggs required in
cooking. !. considerable quantity find their way
to the laboratory. They have !: place in the
pharmacopuia even, and the white is used for
Il yarnish by artists, and for clarifying liquors
Many schemes have been tried for the pre-
-ervation of eggs. but none that seem altogeth-
cr successful Lining, vanishing, icing, all
have been resorted to, but the genuine 'fresh-
laid egg is still creature of tender age. The
specific gravity of the newly-aid egg is 100.
With age this is lowered by the evaporation of
water. A learned authority states that when
an egg floats it is ''gencrally" unsound!
Hens eggs vary greatly i'll size. \ dozen Of
tile largest will weigh q ounces, while an equal
number of the smallest, from the same lot, may
weigh but IA - ounces. But eggs are not sold
by weight.
\ curious fact is got from the census returns.
A table shows the average product per hen in
til" different States. Maine hens make the re-
rcr's with an average of .1-2 dozens Il year !:
Massachusetts chickens follow closely with
I l-3dozcas; Louisiana comes in last with but ;
dozens per hen in the year.
The lesson for Maine poultry farmers to re-
member is to market theireggs as soon as poss-
Die. An increased production will enable
merchants 10 make more frequent shipments,
and so establish high reputation for fresh
ness in quality.
CHARLES f. BLACK.